Lightsquared, a danger to GPS?

[+Chuck B]

The Obama administration is pushing for FCC confirmation of this company which will dangerously damaged GPS signals. Read the article at:

http://townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/2011/09/21/lightsquared_obamas_dangerous_broadband_boondoggle

[+germanybert]

And now....the REST of the story.... http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/white-house-we-gave-lightsquared-plenty-of-grief-over-gps.php

[7rxc]

I think that it is mostly political gaming right now... Lightsquared is simply going to be to late at the post to compete.

 

The Feds have also given the go ahead to the so called 'white space' initiative that has auctioned off unused TV channels to the other companies for wide area Internet use. They have the hardware ready, they have frequencies they can use, and they already have users waiting for it. They do NOT use frequencies near the GPS or any other low power satellite "protected" bands, but the same high power rated TV frequencies that have been around since the 40's. Which have recently been switched to digital mode (Now switching up here in Canada and reallocated for the 'white space'/ 'WiFi on steroids' usage as well) which leave a lot of unused bandwidth suitable for various commercial uses... and allows for a lot of frequency reuse to get around active TV (digital) transmissions.

 

Once the market shifts to those companies, do you think there will be much left for one that hasn't been able to meet even reduced technical specs... Remember that they failed to meet their claims at less than half the level they wanted to licence. Even with the shifted frequencies they tried. LS could have managed to partner up with someone who already had terrestrial licences under 'white space' and then used there satellite bandwidth to feed those ground users... and in fact they tried from what I read. Their big partner took them at their word and failed to get much if any of the 'white space' since they thought they were good to go already.

 

They would be better off trying that route even now IMHO. Most of the tech experts who don't work for them have been shaking their heads at the claims so far. Physics isn't going to change much, especially in time to make it work. They cannot shift the GPS sat frequencies we use, the military allowed for something like this with multiple bands, but we don't get them yet. I did wonder that we haven't heard from your Homeland Security about a company that seems determined to render useless a major military/civilian asset. That in light of the fact that we can't get away with placing a film canister on/near any even minor item like a bridge.

 

People should read all of the stuff posted over in the GPS&Technology forum on this. Lots of specs and discussion that gets somewhat away from the politics involved, but that's there as well. BTW the FCC only represents the USA, others are watching this as well. I suspect that there is far more a play than a broadband internet system for the USA.

 

Doug 7rxc